Wxel Staff Ready To Mount Fund Drives

February 22, 1992|By RICH POLLACK, Staff Writer

BOYNTON BEACH -- Staff members at WXEL began returning to normal on Friday, gearing up for two major fund-raising efforts, while at the same time the public broadcasting station`s governing board continued to change shape.

Hoping to ease the $100,000 budget shortfall, caused in large part by the turmoil that followed a staff revolt at the station, official at WXEL`s FM radio station have planned an emergency fund-raising drive, beginning today.

It will be followed by a three-week WXEL television fund-raising effort, the most important of the year for the station.

And at the same time, the staff is preparing letters to members asking them to help the financially struggling station survive.

``Now that the so-called siege is over, everyone is easing back into their normal routines,`` said Cameron Harris, an assistant development director who was fired after she and other staff members publicly called for the ouster of then Board Chairman Lewis ``Dusty`` Sang.

Harris returned to work to help with the fund-raising efforts but is still uncertain of her status.

Sang resigned on Wednesday after a report from an investigative panel that concluded he would have to leave before the station could regain the public confidence lost over the past month.

On Friday, Sang`s brother-in-law, Fred Luntz, resigned from the station`s board of directors, saying he was appalled by the board`s decision on Thursday to reinstate two suspended employees, station General Manager Sam Barbaro and Vice President for Development Anita Kirchen.

``The decisions of the board are so repugnant to me that I am unable to serve,`` Luntz wrote to Board Chairman Richard Kip. ``Rewarding the guilty and punishing the innocent is beyond my comprehension.``

Luntz, who has been a director for nine years, said he no longer saw any purpose in staying on the board.

``It`s not worth it,`` he said. ``It`s not worth the aggravation. It`s not like we`re trying to cure cancer; we`re running a public broadcasting station.``

Luntz said he is more disappointed than bitter.

``I`m going to put my money where it is more appreciated,`` he said.

But WXEL officials say that a lot of people are putting their money back into the station.

``The membership department has gotten quite a few calls,`` said Stacy Young, who heads the department. ``It`s been a good start.``

She said that in addition to regular membership, the station has also received about $7,000 in large contributions.

And an additional $7,000 should be coming to the station through a trust fund whose directors pledged to donate the money once Sang resigned.

But WXEL FM Station Manager Pat O`Meara said that the success of the station`s fund-raising drive that kicks off today is essential to make up for the loss of money during the January drive.

O`Meara said that the radio station needs to raise more than $100,000 from fund-raising efforts in order to meet its budget this year.